A review of learning technology, tools, and trends from a not-so-cutting-edge practitioner.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Extending Learning through Yammer

Take a look at the two machine parts in this picture.They are Vacuum Deck Blower Motors.When presented next to each other side by
side, it is pretty easy to see that they are not the same.The one on the left is slightly taller.If you were to go inside the housing you
would see that they have different constructions and different controllers.That is because they are made for different
machines and they are not interchangeable.But if you didn’t have them standing right next to each other, you might
easily mistake one for the other and place the wrong one in the wrong machine
during maintenance or while making repairs.Some of our service representatives have made that mistake.

Of course, when they go through training they are instructed
on the differences in usage and labeling so they can recognize and install the
right part into the right machine.Fortunately our equipment is pretty reliable which means there might be
a long interval between the time service reps receive this training and the
time they might actually have to make this repair.It is easy to see how they might forget what
they’ve learned and install the wrong part.

That is one of the frustrations expressed by the Technical
Training Instructor who leads the class in which this is covered.He is an excellent instructor.He covers everything the reps need to know,
gives them a chance to practice doing it, and provides appropriate feedback
before sending them out into the field.He
had been doing this for years and hoping for the best, until he discovered
Yammer.Now he extends the learning
beyond the classroom by sharing tips and tricks that the service reps can
easily access off of their laptops or mobile devices at the point of need.The picture of the vacuum deck blowers is
actually part of a job aid he attached to a post in the Yammer group he recently
created.In the short time since this
group has been up and running, he has been able to share pictures, videos, and job
aids - and generally give the service reps
the benefit of his expertise at the point of need.At the same time, he is learning from
them.He is learning about the
challenges and the most common problems they face in the field.This information allows him to incrementally
improve his classroom training approach and materials.

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Learning Strategist

In my 20+ year career, I have have held positions as a stand-up trainer, e-learning course developer, instructional designer, management development specialist and training director. I currently lead a global learning shared services team.
Like many workplace learning professionals, I'm constantly bombarded by vendors and the media with suggestions on the latest trends and technology tools for learning. I try some things out, but not everything is a fit for my company's needs or budget. This blog helps me reflect on and sort out these experiences. It is my hope that some of these reflections can be helpful to other workplace learning professionals.